Indian media slams Hamid Mir for Sarabjit Singh fiasco

Pakistan’s veteran journalist and one of the leading TV anchors, Hamid Mir was criticized by Indian media for what they said his raising of some questions about India’s condemned terrorist Sarabjit Singh, which allegedly prompted President Asif Ali Zardari to withdraw his decision to release Mr Singh who had confessed to staging blasts in Pakistan in 1990 which resulted in killing of over dozen innocent Pakistanis in Multan and Lahore.

Mir, who is renowned journalist and his opinion is sought by the international media, especially with regard to Afghanistan, Taliban and al-Qaeda related issues, says in his Thursday’s column published in country’s widely circulated Urdu language Jang newspaper, he was condemned and criticized by a CNN IBN news female anchor on June 27 a day after he conducted a show, opposing government’s move to free Mr Singh, and dubbing him India’s Ajmal Kasab.

The anchor said it was his opposition to government’s decision, which prompted Mr Zardari to withdraw his orders.

It is to mention here that situation turned dramatic on Tuesday evening after the government’s announcement of releasing Sarabjit Singh, drawing strong criticism from journalists and people. The situation reached its logical end after seven hours when Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar denied news regarding the release of Singh, saying it was Surjeet Singh who was being freed.

Mr Mir raised a question in his column as to why India was only interested in releasing Sarabjit Sindh while hundreds of Indian fishermen had been detained in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan freed 1100 Indian fishermen over the last four years while India hardly released 242 Pakistanis. He said this question was owed to Indian and Pakistani rulers.

Hamid Mir further wrote that “Aman Ki Asha” should not mean India’s hegemony over Pakistan and there should be balanced approached from both the sides.